Military plane with top officials crashes in northern Laos

[KTMphil]

From:

http://rt.com/news/159576-laos-plane-crash-top-brass/



A Laos air force aircraft carrying senior military officers and officials, including two ministers and the capitol’s mayor, has crashed in the north of the country. Of the14 people on board only three have reportedly survived.
A source in the nation's Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti that among the passengers there were the Defense Minister and his wife, as well as the Minister of Public Security, the mayor of the country's capital, Vientiane, deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs, and the deputy chief of the Laos government secretariat and other officials.
The names and occupations of the survivors have not been reported.
The crash happened as the flight was on its way to Xiangkhouang province to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the second division of the Laos People's Army, the source said.
The Ukrainian-made An-74 TK300 aircraft crashed while coming into land, just four kilometers from the airstrip. The plane was brand new, delivered to Laos in 2009 for carrying VIP passengers.
All of the celebrations were canceled following the accident, including the military parade.

 

[KTMphil]

From Laos Pictures FB page

 

[The Bigfella]

Bloody hell. They lost a LOT of generals in a crash a few years back too

 

[Lone Rider]

Well, another plane - this time a military helicopter with 4 crew and 19 passengers - missing in Laos on its way from Vientiane to Xiangkhouang and Houaphanh. No further news available at this time (Source: The Nation - 23-missing-in-Laos-military-chopper-crash


Update: The wreckage of the helicopter has been found near Ban Phalamua in Longcheng district on the slopes of the Phou Bia mountain.

Air traffic control in the capital Vientiane lost contact with the MI-17 helicopter—registration number RDPL-34062—at 1:10 p.m. local time on July 27, shortly after it departed Wattay International Airport, heading for Houaphan and Xieng Khuang. The aircraft was located crashed in a remote area of Xaysomboun province's Longcheng district, an official with Division 703 of the Lao Air Force told RFA's Lao Service Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Yes, [rescuers] found it, but the remains [of the passengers] have not been brought back yet as [they] have only located the crash site," the official said, suggesting it was too difficult to access.

Source: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/helicopter-07292015172325.html

 

[mactbkk]

"... a remote area of Xaysomboun province's Longcheng district,...."

Remote area? Well, yes, pretty much everything up that way is "remote!!"

Mac

 

[Lone Rider]

"... a remote area of Xaysomboun province's Longcheng district,...."

Remote area? Well, yes, pretty much everything up that way is "remote!!"

Mac

555555 - yes really remote or maybe Laos is too secretive (it was only announced yesterday 2 days after they lost contact with the helicopter). It seems that people in Ban Phalamua did see/hear the helicopter and did hear an explosion but as there was nothing in the news they probably did not think that the explosion and the helicopter were connected.

 

[Lone Rider]

Latest news - Unfortunately no survivors were found

The SAR post - the crash site is about a 4 hour walk from here

 

[prince666]

Bloody hell. They lost a LOT of generals in a crash a few years back too

Shame but in countries like Thailand and Laos you find more Generals then private ???

 

[The Bigfella]

http://www.demanjo.com/news/world/2...ary-helicopter-accident-reported-in-laos.html

The photo looks a bit strange. - edit, yes, found the photo again, its from another of the Laos crashes: near Nadee village, in Xiangkhouang province,